Dear FRONTLINE,

Why should we take the word of companies whose only goal is profit maximization that GM foods are safe. These companies would use slave labor if it wasn't illegal and against popular opinion. I think foods can be GMed but the testing required to make sure they are ok is nearly impossible. All possibilities cant be accounted for. Untill we know exactly what every gene we are using does and how it affects every other gene I don't want anything GMed. These large corporations are saying they are ending world hunger but how many farmers are selling their crops to the third world? Most of the profit is from the first world. Chemicals, pesticides and GMOs are all worse for the world than traditional methods of living. They cannot be fixed once they are released into the environment. There's no going back

Seth Borg
worcester, ma

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am scared to death of the possibilities of genetically modified organisms in our world. We are trusting our future food supply to an unknown technology. We are playing with fire.

Samuel Justice
springfield, tennessee

Dear FRONTLINE,

Do genetically modified crops concern me? Not particularly. One thing I am certain of; they will fail miserably. Nature abhors artificial controls. These "breakthroughs" will be nullified in due course as the environment seeks to mute any influence we have over it.

The correct application of biotechnology would point towards avoidance of monocultures, both in the crops raised and the microflora present in the soil. We have finally learned that antimicrobial resistance is the product of our arrogance towards human disease. Pesticide resistance is the same, in a macro form.

Ultimately, our machinations will fail.

Charles Soto
austin, tx

Dear FRONTLINE,

Living in the middle of the pesticide ridden cornbelt all my life - I do NOT consider Biotech foods a step in the right direction. Its obvious that these big companies have not thought this past their bottomline when one of their pro-biotech speakers on the show states that they are concerned about the possibility of insect mutation too because they want their product (bt corn) to be effective for the next 10-20 years! Is that all?? What then?? What about the 10-20-100 years after that?? This is just another short-sighted, money-making product with an advantage to agri-chemical companies.

washington, iowa

Dear FRONTLINE,

Everything has risks and benefits. Without the modern farming used in the U.S., half the world would be starving. We now unquestioningly consider DDT to be harmful, but its use all but eliminated death from malaria. After DDT was eliminated, malaria deaths returned to the pre-DDT level of over 2 million per year. Much of the current environmental movement is more about fighting capitalism, with the side goal of collecting money for the environmental groups' employees, rather than helping the environment.

Steve Burns
fernandina beach, fl

Dear FRONTLINE,

i have concerns about the possibility of genetically modified organisms crossbreeding with non gm organisms. i am most especially worried about the gm salmon being raised in open pens in the ocean. i dont think it is possible to contain any crop completely. i believe all testing should be conclusive before allowing these crops to be grown anywhere besides a strictly controled labratory, even then its risky.im shocked to find out that i have probably been sold gm products without my knowledge. i would at least like to have a choice in the matter.

richard vorreyer
perry, georgia

Dear FRONTLINE,

The Scientific American brings up the point that the efficacy of BT will probably diminish over time as insects develop immunity to this chemical. I would like to see more discussion of this point. Also, perhaps more discussion on the environmental consequences of pesticides vs. GM technology.

kennett square , pa

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am appalled at the misleading way that you directed your opinion survey by presenting only the arguments in favor of genetically modified food crops at each step. Each of the arguments you presented can be countered by a large amount of information that debunks this industry generated propaganda. In particular, the notion that gm crops will eliminate hunger is preposterous. Hunger is caused by poverty--lack of access to food--not by insufficient production. The enrichment of corporations such as Monsanto will continue to exacerbate hunger as more people are displaced from land and forced to seek work in cities at indecent wages, which are inadequate to buy food--food they used to be able to produce for themselves.

I recommend, among other books, "Redesigning Life?", edited by Brian Tokar, for some well documented information that exposes the misconceptions you perpetuate in this survey.

Grace Gershuny
barnet, vermont

wheat photograph ©h. david sewell/corbis
new content copyright ©2001 pbs online and wgbh/frontline/nova